Avoid the summer heat

June 11, 2013

Now is the time of year, of course, to keep the summer heat from letting us down - or perhaps more accurately, putting us down.

It doesn't take very long at all for heat exhaustion or even heat stroke to set in, so here's some tips.

n First, pick a cooler time of day to work, preferably before noon or after 5 p.m. Midday heat can be blistering hot, and there's no need to kill yourself for nothing.

n Follow the shade. If you do have to work in the heat of the afternoon, try to pick the places where you'll be working. If you're scraping or painting a house, for example, work on the west side until afternoon, then maybe take a lunch break in the shade. Then move to the east shaded side to continue your work.

n Drink lots of water. And don't wait until you've sweated everything out. Have a couple glass of water before you start working.

n Take lots of breaks. Try working 45 minutes to an hour then have a 15-minute break before you start working again.

n Pace yourself. Start working slowly, then pick up your pace as you find your rhythm and stamina.

n Vary your work. That scraping job getting kind of hard? Well why not try cutting a little grass or trimming a hedge or picking up the yard for a break. Then get back to the tough work.

Following a few common-sense rules can help a lot in making the difference between a miserable job and a rather enjoyable one.